Electronic cigarettes are typically battery-powered vaporizers that may be use, e.g., to simulate the feeling of smoking, but without tobacco. Instead of cigarette smoke, the user inhales an aerosol, commonly called vapor, typically released by a heating element that atomizes a liquid solution (vaporizable material or solution). Typically, the user activates the e-cigarette by taking a puff or pressing a button. Some vaporizers look like traditional cigarettes, but they come in many variations. Although mimicking the cylindrical look of traditional cigarettes may have marketing advantages because of a preexisting familiarity with this shape and potentially feel of the product, the cylindrical shape may not be optimal. Other shapes, including rectangular shapes, may offer advantages including a greater volume for holding the battery and vaporizable material, as well ease in handling and manufacture.
Many of the battery-powered vaporizers described to date include a reusable batter-containing device portion that connects to one or more cartridges containing the consumable vaporizable material. As the cartridges are used up, they are removed and replaced with fresh ones. It may be particularly useful to have cartridges and apparatuses that have a non-circular cross-section to prevent rolling of the device when placed on a table or other surface. However, a number of surprising disadvantages may result in this configuration. For example the use of a cartridge at the proximal end of the device, which is also held by the users mouth, has been found to cause instability in the electrical contacts, particularly with cartridges of greater than 1 cm length. Further, there may be difficulties in determining the amount of vaporizable material within the cartridge, sufficiently cooling or otherwise processing the vapor generated by a heater located in the cartridge, and easily and quickly securing the cartridge into the vaporizer when force may be applied by a user's mouth at the proximal mouthpiece when a user holds the device either just by the mouth or using the mouth at the proximal end and a hand on the more distal body of the vaporizer.
Described herein are apparatuses and methods that may address the issues discussed above.